Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Welcome Back, Wanger

Wang arrived Taiwan earlier. This is the photo in airport station. Wang just had a press conference 2 hours ago. However, there is huge political news in Taiwan today( I don't want to talk about that. If you guys are interested, go check out news).

I don't think there will be a huge coverage of Wang today. In fact, Taiwan media just like New York media. This is so rare someone like Wang to have any coverage at all. This tells you something. The way he speak(so few words) is really not a news material(boring).

I got few quotes from some news .

*Yankees ask Wang to ride bike, not to run.

*Wang knows there are a lot of great pitchers on the free agent market this off-season. How he feel? He said let go to get champion together. No matter who Yankees get, they are the best ones. He will just do his job which try his best to win every game. However, Wang said Moose and Pettitte really help him a lot. I think we can't underestimate the impact those veterans pitchers will bring to the team, especially for young pitchers.

*Wang really want to play WBC for Taiwan, but he knows he need to rehab first. Wang actually asked Cashman before coming back to Taiwan. Cashman already told him to prepare spring training.

*He said he felt so sad and miserable for not able to help Yankees, especially he sat there and looked at what happened to the team the end of season. When he knew Yankees' chance for playoffs become lower and lower, he wanted to play so badly and apologized to team.

Come back later for more if I have more.

Updated: I am finally able to watch Wang's press conference. Sorry about being late. I was so tired because I haven't slept much for few days.

*Wang said Bowa kept sending him text messages to encourage him and want to know how he feel after he get hurt. I think Yankees really miss Larry Bowa. If they actually have a chance to sign him after 2007 season, they definitely should not miss.

*Remember the difference between Joe Torre and Joe Girardi? Wang said Torre joking around with him a lot. However, Kuo(another Taiwanese pitcher) is the relief pitcher on LA Dodgers said Torre is quiet. He doesn't say much. As for Joe Girardi, Wang said he is more serious than Torre. During practices, Girardi actually run with them. Wang said he runs harder and tried not to lose to him.

I think Torre is really a good players manager based on what I heard from Wang and Kuo. Based on players' different personality, Torre uses different ways to communicate with them. Wang is quiet guy and is very hard on himself. Joking around with him and making him loose is a good way to get most out of him. On the other hand, Kuo is a voluble guy with good sense of humor. Torre use more serious way to deal with him.

*Wang doesn't regret for running hard on bases and getting hurt. He said injury is part of athlete's life. He always does his best no matter what he is doing. However, he thinks he needs to focus more to train his legs because he has a lot of injuries related to legs recent years.

*Wang said doctors told him he is 100% healthy right. This foot injury won't have any impact on his pitching. However, there are always few cracks over there. I am kind of understanding this. Just like our normal persons. Every time we hurt ourselves, there are always some concerns over the places we get hurt and there are always chances to hurt the same place again.

*There is one period of time in 2008 season he didn't pitch well. Wang said he think too much. He wants to get every batter and want to pitch better. I think Wang actually really wants to prove himself after what happened in 2007 playoffs.

*It will be a huge honor for Wang to be able to pitch in opening day in New Yankees stadium, but he doesn't think he will get it.

That's all I get. This week we can't do anything until we get past November 14 which all players become free agents. This is good. I actually can focus more on the stuffs I need to get it done in my real life.

8 comments:

Dannyzupl8
said...

Do you think Wang will still be ace of staff in '09? Wang really seems laid back, and reserved. I didn't feel much national pride for the American team in the last WBC. Sports is so commercialized nowadays, that I just consider it entertainment. They are no longer role-models, and heroes. But from what I've heard, Wang is a pretty big deal in Taiwan.. But would he be the ace of the Taiwanese staff? He hasn't been lights out in the playoffs for the Yanks. I wonder if he's a big game pitcher. When that sinker-ball isn't working, he is beyond ineffective. Contrition is rare among pro-athletes today, Wang is a humble, and rare breed.. I feel bad along with him. Blame Bobby Meacham, Wanger.. How important was that run now? I don't think we can read much into managers and their relationships with their players. This is stuff that goes on behind closed doors, between men. Its not meant for our dissertations really.. I think its a waste of time, you get so much contradictory information anyway.. Well.. good luck with getting sleep, and focusing on your real life. You provide a product (your opinions and time)to the world here, I appreciate it. Beats my espn subscription, lol

I don't think Wang will and should be the ACE of staff in '09. I think most Yankees fans, people in the front office and players on Yankees or other teams don't think Wang is the man. How many times we heard from Yankees players talk about we need an ACE? The one comes to my mind are Hank, Posada, etc.

If Wang is not the the ACE of staff, it will make his life easier. He doesn't care anyway. Let someone else to be the man. As a Taiwanese, I always support Wang more than other players on the Yankees. I actually don't care he is the ACE or not. I just hope he can stay healthy and pitch in front of rotation for 10 more years in the big league. The best scenario is to retire as a Yankees.

I know ACE in American baseball is always the one can strike out tons of batters. Wang never will be that guy under this definition. Someone feel ACE is the one who is big game pitcher can pitch light out in the playoff, such as Beckett. Does anyone change their mind after Beckett's 2008 playoff performance? I don't think so. Even though Beckett pitch badly this playoffs, people still think he is the man. I think the reason is Wang is not a strikeout pitcher.

In my mind, If Joba can stay healthy as a starter, Joba will be the ACE Yankees need. And then Wang, Hughes(No.3). If we can get CC this off-season, we will have Joba, CC, Wang and Hughes as No.1-4 for many years. Of course, it's not going to happen next season when Joba still have inning limitation and Hughes still need to work on pitches.

There are two reasons I think Wang should not be ACE of staff in '09. First of all, Wang can keep working and improving other pitches if he isn't the ace of staff in '09. Secondly, Wang is a guy throw about 90-93mph(sinker) most of time during a ball game. If he needs to, He can throw four-seam fastball about 94-96 once a while. Not to mention he still need to work on his sliders, changeup and splitters. It's not good enough as ACE.

I know most Americans treat sports as an entertainment. It's not this case around the world. Most people around the world treat athletes from their countries and win international tournament as heroes. We don't treat every Taiwanese who has huge accomplishment in any area like the way we treat Wang. The reason is his personality. The way he present himself. We feel he present the image of Taiwanese: work hard, quiet, don't do things to get credit. He did a lot of charity during off-season, but no one knows. He told his agent and the place he went not to let media know. We only knows few things he does. If company want to get Wang to be spokesman of their brands, they need to do some charity events to go along with. Every now and then, some media will find out what Wang does. But we can't get any details on the things he does because he doesn't talk about it. He also asks his agents not to talk about it. That's why he is such a big deal in Taiwan.

As for his laid back and reserved personality, this is Taiwanese culture. We believe actions speak louder. We don't express our opinion too much. I am not a typical Taiwanese. I have changed a lot. I stayed in the LA for few years and now I am in Sydney.

I know Wang hasn't pitched well in the playoffs. I believe Wang and A-Rod eventually will be able to do it in the playoffs if given enough chances. Wang actually remind me Eli Manning. Is Eli Manning laid back? Does he perform not go well before last year superbowl? Once Wang and A-Rod are able to do it once, people will change their mind. It just like Jeter and Mo. Jeter and Mo didn't perform well every playoff game, but they get that big game players reputation. Why? They have already done it at least once.

We still have pretty good pitchers who plays in Taiwanese and Japanese pro league. Wang will be the ACE of Taiwanese staff now.

The funny thing about Wang is people never think he can be this good. I don't know do you know Kuo and Tsuo? more people think more good things from them than Wang. Every Wang's coach before going to America all said Wang is the player who is quiet and work hard. That's all. They never think he can be this good.

When Yankees promote Wang to AAA and big league in 2005, I don't think Yankees expect Wang to be this good. They just need him before Jaret Wright came back from injury and then they can use him as a trade chips.

When Wang pitches better than people expect, they still think he is a no.3 pitcher at best. Guess what? I think it's safe to say, Wang is a great no.2 pitcher now. I don't think he is an ACE now. He may surprise everyone again. If he can command his other pitches, such as sliders, changeup and splitters, he will be one day.

By the way, I did have ESPN subscription befroe. I canceled it before leaving America.

Beckett was injured much of this past season. Wang doesn't have 'ace make-up' imo. I saw Kuo in the playoffs this season, and I can't remember how he pitched. Its hard for me to follow everyone. The NL, i don't follow except for the Mets, and I'm on the east coast of the U.S. I feel a sense of pride when I see an African American or Black ballplayer do well. I would love to see C.C. in new york, and succeed for that reason. In my pride for my race, not so much my country. For instance, I did not derive much pride from the U.S Olypmic baseball team, instead, I enjoyed the U.S men's basketball team, since they are predominantly black. However you share heritage, and nationality with some MLB stars right..? If for instance a caucasian was born and raised in Taiwan, and then found success in the US, how would you embrace him? I root for Wang because he's quiet like I am, and is a team first guy.

As I said before, I actually don't care Wang is ACE or not. As long as he stay healthy and pitch well for another 10 years.

For Taiwanese, What Wang learn over there and come back to teach young ball players is much more important than anything else. Just like what Wang said, He is going to teach children to play baseball after retirement.

As for race question. After moving around different countries and meeting many different people around the world for many years, I actually doesn't feel the national pride as much as I did before leaving Taiwan. Right now, I treat everyone the same and try to learn different culture in order to get along friends from different countries.

Just like why you root for Wang, the main reason I root for Wang because of his humble, quiet and work hard personality, not because he is a Taiwanese.